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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 





y" V^"' COPYRIGHT. ~-0, \ 

»a •■ OS r^O Y FEB 1 1 1SS3 i 



11 SUCCESSFUL 

FLYFISHING | 

For TROUT it BASS ^ 




PUBLISHED BY 



The Waltonian Mfg. Co. 



SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF 



THE JOHNSON FLIES 
325 DEARBORN ST. 



PRICE, 10 CENTS 

if-.»':r.r.r;r!rr.r.r:P.imRPiRJEiBiiC!FjCjF.r>KEK 



COPYRIGHTED 1893, BY CHARLES F. 'JOHNSON. 



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CHICAGO I 

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THE WALTONIAN MANUFACTURING CO. 



SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF THE 



Johnson Trout and Bass Files 

325 DEARBORN STREET, CHICAGO. 



RRICEJ ••• LIST. 

The Johnson Bass Flies. 

Johnson Fancy $2.50 per Doz. 

Apparition 2.00 

Magician 2.00 

Abercrombie 2.00 " 

Edgar Alien Poe 2.00 

Polly Perkins 2.25 

These Flies are tied upon No. 1 hooks. A sample card contain- 
ing one each of the above Flies, mailed on receipt of One Dollar. 

The Johnson Trout Flies on No. 4- or 7 Hook. 

Johnson Fancy $2 . 25 per Doz . 

Apparition 2.00 " 

Magician 2.00 

Abercrombie 2. CO " 

Edgar Allen Poe 2.00 

Polly Perkins 2.00 

A sample card containing one each of the above Flies, on either 
No. 4 or 7 hooks as desired , mailed prepaid on receipt of One Dollar. 



EXTRACT FROM AMERICAN FIELD. 

NOVEMBER 12, 1892. 

Mr. ('. F. Johnson took a run down to Willow Springs, 111., 
last Saturday to test the etiiciency of the Johnson Fancy, a new bass 
fly of his invention, and inside of two hours landed six large bass 
weighing thirteen pounds, and two pickerel weighing nearly five 
pounds. The day was stinging cold and a damp atmosphere chilled 
the fingers to numbness. This trial, with previous equally success- 
ful tests, proves the Johnson Fancy to be a killer. 



FOR 

TROUT T^ND BHSS 

BY CHAS. F. JOHNSON. 



Jroat pisl^ii}?. 

During the day, the large trout lurk in the 
deeper waters above or below a shallow, secreting 
themselves in holes, by stones, under logs and pro- 



jecting banks, in irregrularities of the bottom or sides 
of the stream : ever closely watching for indications 
of food or danger. Thev seldom venture upon the 
shallows, except in extremely hot weather, when a 
sudden rise in the water occurs, and also as evening 
approaches. Then they become extremely bold and 
scour the shallows for small fry. making havoc 
among the affrighted tish life, as they rush here 
and there. 

Deep pool fishing for large trout during the day. 
is apt to prove discouraging, unless there is a surface 
ripple or slightly discolored water. Either of these 
desirable conditions aid the angler in concealing him- 
self and tackle. 

Large trout usually take the fly under the surface, 
often following the fly some distance before seizing 
it. They seldom take the fly with that abandon and 
splash which characterizes smaller trout; hence, 
the fly should exhibit its most seductive flutterings 



3 

as long as possible. It should Dot be jerked quickly 
and unceremoniously through the water. 

One large trout is worth many smaller. Work 
for the prize and disdain counting on numbers. 

As you approach a good -holding ground" and 
while yet hidden from view of any expected trout, 
quietly watch the water for a few moments before 
casting. Study the situation — perhaps a large trout is 
observed rising at a certain point — stealthily c^ccupy 
the most favorable position for casting: if necessary, 
crawl on hands and knees — any way to remain unseen 
— avoid all quick motions in sight of the pool — aim 
to identify your appearance with that of the sur- 
roundings. Hold before you. if there is no cover, cut 
willows or bunches of grass . 

Small and medium sized trout frequent the shal 
lows, usually near the middle ot the stream- and are 
found under cover of weed beds, skirting the chan- 
nels with rapid currents. 



4 

A warm day with light clouds and sufficient 
south, southwest, or west wind to ripple the water 
slightly, is the best weather for trout fishing. 
High water when not discolored, is favorable. 

When low water has been continued, search the 
banks of the stream to discover any springs which 
flow into it. If there is any depth of water at such 
places, you are almost sure to find fish. Extremely 
low water is unfavorable. 

During the heat of the day, insects, frogs, and 
small fry are inactive. During a warm cloudy day 
or as evening approaches, insects and other food be- 
come more active. At such times, trout feed with 
great freedom. 

The most killing method of fishing the stiiU 
deep, shady pools especially when trout appear disin- 
clined to feed, is to fish up stream, using a small fly. 
Make several casts, not permitting the fly to touch 



5 

the water. This casting will dry the flies. Each 
successive cast should carry the fly nearer the desired 
spot. When the fly reaches this position allow it 
to fall lightly upon the surface. Elevate the tip 
of the rod enough to keep the line taut, but not 
to impart motion to the fly. Let the current bear 
the fly toward you. As it thus sails upon the sur- 
face, the largest and most apathetic trout in the 
pool seldom refuses it. Should no trout take it, 
and the fly become saturated and sink beneath the 
surface, withdraw it from the water and repeat the 
preliminary casting as above described. This is 
technically termed "'Dry Fly fishing'' and is the most 
killing method of taking trout. The "dry fly" float- 
ing on the surface of the water is the nearest copy 
of nature attainable. Observe how closely dry fly 
fishing imitates the conduct of a natural insect 
wafted from some neighboring bush into the water 
and floating on its surface. 



6 

Use sad colored flies in low, clear water, and in 
high water just as it is clearing after a protracted 
rise. In small streams where quick, short rises are 
of frequent occurences, the medium sized trout fly is 
preferable when the freshet is subsiding. In such 
streams trout do not have time enough to surfeit 
themselves upon food abundant during a flood. 
After a protracted state of high and discolored 
water, trout becomes surfeited, and will rarely rise 
to anything but a small fly . 

Study the stream — its rapids, pools, eddies and 
falls. Note the stumps, logs and stones, and all 
obstructions. Determine by careful observation, the 
spot which appears most likely to harbor a large 
trout — then make your cast. In fishing in a rapid 
current, cast the fly across and up stream. Do 
not cast directly across the stream— the line so cast 
cuts the water roughly, alarming the fish. Make 
every movement by the water stealthily. Every ac- 



7 
tioii in fly casting can be made in a deliberate man- 
ner, with but slight motion of the body and fore arm 
— let the wrist alone do the work. Trout, like deer, 
are easily frightened by a quick motion. 

Fish lay head up stream and have keen sight. 
In all cases where practicable, fish up stream — that 
is, throw your fly against the current. 

Remember the mere act of dragging a mass 
of saturated feather and hackle through the water, 
in a "chuck and chance it" style, is not fishing. By 
means of the wrist, impart a life-like flutter to the 
fly. Humor it — let the hackle and wings open and 
close with that tremulous, quivering motion, which 
is attractive and irresistible to the large fish. 

Note carefully the immediate surroundings where 
you catch fish; thus learn how to recognize those un- 
mistakable signs of nature, which indicate to the 
angler, where trout hide. 



8 

Their sense of hearing also is acute, when the 
sound is accompanied by motion which transmits 
vibration to the water in their vicinity. Hence tread 
lightly and avoid any action that will convey a jar- 
ring or grating sound to the water. Extreme caution 
and skillful casting is necessary when fishing still, 
deep water. The novice will have better success in 
broken water. 

Do not over estimate the value of long distance 
casting. Thirty-five feet of line thrown delicately 
and accurately is sufficient for all ordinary fishing. 



Bass F'sl?i99. 



Fly fishing for black bass cannot be said to liave 
been hitherto a success. The angler who practiced 
it, did so for experiment, and from an anticipatory 
point of view rather, than from any decided belief in 
its merits. 

A series of careful experiments pursued by usdur- 
ing the spring and fall of 1892, together with the ex- 
perience of seventeen years' previous, in fly fishing. 



10 

established these points. The fly should he light 
enough to fall, when cast upon the water, delicately 
and without commotion. Otherwise, instead of en- 
ticing, it will scare the bass. Then the tiy should 
be attractive in appearance and of colors that are 
alluring. Third, the liy should be bulky enough 
in form to promise a l)ass substantial reward for 
his effort in pursuing it. And lastly, the general 
appearance of the tiies in the water should be 
such that bass will eagerly seize them under the 
impression they are species of the numerous small 
fry upon which bass habitually feed. 

The Hies made by the Waltonian Manufactur- 
ing Company have been developed in these ex- 
periments, and after thorough testing, are pro- 
nounced the most killing flies made. If used in 
the line of the hints given herein, fly Ashing for 
black bass will become a delightful success. The 
tinsel body formed by the hook's shanks without the 



11 

usual body stuffing, renders the fly attractive without 
being cumbersome and heavy. The absence of the 
usual hackle permits these flies to be cast farther and 
with greater accuracy. To satisfy himself on this, 
let the angler cast flrst a winged and hackled fly; 
then, after cutting away the hackle, cast the fly. 
The superiority of the fly without hackle, for accurate 
long casts, is quickly perceived. A fly, encumbered 
with a mass of hackles standing out at right angle 
from the hook, offers much resistance to the atmos- 
phere, without adding to the killing qualities. 

From the beginning, the principles involved in 
successfully applying the artiflcial fly to the capture 
of bass, have been generally misunderstood. The or- 
dinary flsherman treats the bass as though he were a 
small trout. Small trout are insectivorous. Bass 
seldom take the fly as do smaller trout. The bass is 
essentially predatory, largely carnivorous. Cray- 



12 

fish, water snakes, minnows and small fry, crabs, 
frogs, mollusks, form his larder. The bass fiy, ordi- 
narily used, is simply the trout fiy enlarged. And 
it has been presumed, that this enlarged fiy must 
be used for bass, in the same manner as its small 
prototype, for trout. Hence, fiy fishing for bass has 
l)een almost a failure, as every angler knows. Occa- 
sionally a bass would be taken, but the fact could 
not be concealed, that the trip for bass with a fiy 
was not satisfactory. Yet the superior attraction 
of the fiy rod has ])een such, that anglers have been 
extremely reluctant to give up the hope of ultimately 
making fiy fishing for bass a success. At intervals 
an enthusiastic fisherman has taken up the subject 
and introduced a new fiy, which sufficiently revived 
the interest, to keep the art of fiy fishing for bass 
from becoming obsolete. 

Bass are not insectivorous, hence do not habit- 
ually take their food at the surface like smaller trout. 



13 
If analogy should be permissible, we refer to that 
king of the water, the Salmon. The bass takes 
the fly at from six to nine inches beneath the surface 
of the water. Repeat your cast until you get the fly 
over the desired spot; then allow it to fall delicately 
upon the water. Let the tly sink the required depth 
Then by elevating the tip of the rod, by a series of 
short hesitatory jerks bring the fly toward you. On 
feeling a slight resistance, strike smartly. The fly 
MUST light on the water without commotion and with 
the least possible ripple. While the fiy is sinking, the 
bass has occasion to investigate it; by the time 
the motion of the rod is given to the fly, the bass is 
anxious to seize it and perhaps is caught, almost 
before the angler knows it. Small tish, you can 
catch in almost any bungling manner, but large iish 
must be kept in complete ignorance of yourself, 
rod and line; otherwise you will seldom catch them. 

Small fry in disporting themselves, do so 



14 

without excessive violence. A frog in taking 
to the water, does so in a quiet, easy manner, 
marking his submersion with a light splash, devoid 
of any violent agitatory action. A small water snake, 
alarmed in the act of swimming upon the surface 

disappears almost silently. Everything obeys tha 
law of nature. So perfectly do bass recognize 
these laws, that any lure placed before him in a 
manner foreign to that which his instinct accepts, 
will be eyed with suspicion and left alone. 

Seat yourself by the pleasant river side and 
learn these lessons from nature. The study will 
repay. Do not make tishing all mechanical work, 
combing the river from dawn till dark. Investigate 
the wonderful watery world in which tish so 
strangely have their being. Learn therefrom reliable 
data which will assist you in their capture. 



15 

In boat fishing, use the sculls as little as possible. 
Drift all you can, and sit down while casting. 
In wading, avoid splashing the water or any violent, 
hasty movements; advance stealthily from one point 
to another. Should there be a slight deposit of mud 
over a hard bottom, lift the feet carefully, straight 
up from the bottom. This will prevent the water in 
your vicinity from becoming muddy. 

Fish have a keen sight and are easily alarmed, 
hence let the angler seize every advantage of natural 
cover. The projecting corners of banks, sedge-beds^ 
sudden turns in the stream, and the like, afford 
opportunities of approaching unawares. 

Do not forget to sink the fiy well. The deeper the 
fly is in the water, the deeper the bass will V^e when 
he seizes it. Therefore the less chance he has of 
seeing you and discovering the method of pre- 
sentation. About nine inches is usually as deep as 



16 

a fly can sink and clear the bottom growth of 
weeds. Do not be too anxious to recover the tiy from 
the water. Bring it towards you slowly, without 
undue haste, interposing its in'ogress with slight* 
momentary pauses. Thus a not over-hungry tish 
is given a chance to seize it. Whereas, if pulled too 
quickly, a "short rise" will be the result. 

Now a few words as to those portions of a river 
in which to fish. Ignorance on this matter will 
render the best flies, and the utmost proflciency in 
casting them, of little avail. Each river has certain 
parts particularly adapted as holding grounds for 
bass, and other parts where Vjass are seldom or 
never found. Waste no time in Ashing those dark 
deeper portions of a river bordered with sedge and of 
muddy bottom. Fish places with hard, irregular and 
rocky bottoms, here and there dotted with a sufficient 
deposit of mud to encourage a straggling growth of 



17 

that variety of water grass which seldom grows quite 
tall enough to appear above the surface. This is a 
desirable formation, being sufficiently dense to afford 
fish cover and secrecy, without seriously impeding 
their movements. 



Give particular attention to the shallows and 
ripples with their deeper channels and holes, both 
above and below. Fish such places carefully . Note 
any obstructions in the current caused by projecting 
logs, or rocks, and the like. In the eddies formed 
below these, bass are almost sure to be found . 

Successful fly fishing depends to no little extent 
(apart from the merits of the flies used), upon 
the ability to cast the fly with some degree of skill, 
in conformity with the hints given. 

There are some, who, owing to their deficiency 



18 

in acquiring this skill, may at first fail to realize 
the full success desired. To such, we, would say: 
Endeavor to increase your proficiency in the use of 
the fiy rod. 



19 



jHou/ to Qast tl^e piy. 

Use a light ten foot fly rod, a small click trout 
reel bearing twenty-five yards of No. 6 dressed, 
braided, water proof eilk casting line, a four foot 
leader, and a winged trout fly on a No/4 hook. Break 
the barb off the hook to prevent it catching. Cut 
away the hackle close to the body, it will cast 
easier. Joint the rod with the guides exactly in 
line and fix the reel securely in the reel seat on the 
butt. Then thread the end of the casting line 
through the guides up the rod and out through the 
ring of the tip. Fasten this end with a small knot to 
one of the end loops of the leader. To the other end 
of the leader, attach the fly. 



20 

Select a suitable spot, a stretch of water if avail- 
able, or grass plat with forty or fifty feet clear space, 
front and rear. With a handkerchief bind the right 
arm just above the elbow, firmly to the side. 

All action must be made gently and method- 
icially, chiefly by means of the wrist, with but little 
movement of the fore arm and without movement of 
the upper arm; any movement of the upper arm 
should be checked. Remember it is knack, not force 
you have to use. The more force the beginner uses, 
the less quickly he will attain success. When 
more advanced, long distance casting may be essayed, 
then the upper arm may be used to advantage. 

Place some small object fifteen feet away at 
which to cast, grasp the rod firmly by its handle 
with the ball of the thumb pressed against the up- 
per part of the hand grasp, pointing toward the tip. 



1 



21 

The ball of the thumb plays an important part. The 
grasp of the hand holds the rod securely; the 
thumb directs its action. Unreel and pull through 
the tip, line half again as long as the rod. Hold 
the fly between the finger and thumb of the left 
hand, with the rod at an angle of about 45 degrees 
in front of the caster, with the tip pointing slightlv 
to his right. 

Wave the rod gently from right to the left, at the 
same time releasing the fly. This motion places the 
fly in front of the caster, and at his left; when the fly 
reaches that position, bring the tip of the rod to a 
position over and behind the left shoulder of the cas- 
ter. This action should place the fly behind and 
above the caster. Pavise a moment that the line may 
straighten out behind; then bring the rod forward un- 
til it reaches about the same position the caster be- 
gan with. The last motion should place line and fly 



22 

extended in front of the caster. Before the line thus 
extended falls to the ground, with a sharp twitch 
of the wrist, combined with a slight movement, 
of the fore arm, bring the tip of the rod to a 
position over and back of the right shoulder. This 
position can be determined by the thumb, which 
should be vertical. Stop the rod when the thumb 
of the caster is perpendicular. Do not allow the 
rod to go further back, otherwise the back cast 
will throw the line too low. Observe this rule. 
This is technically known as the "back cast.'' In 
making it, the tip of the rod should not describe an 
arc, but a straight line. This is accomplished by the 
combined action of the fore arm and wrist. It is 
essential that the back cast be properly made — Here- 
in lies the secret of successful fly casting. First is the 
preliminary cast which extends the line in front of the 
caster, preparatory for the back cast. Second, comes 
the back cast in which the line is extended high in 



23 

the air, behind the caster. Then follows the forward 
cast by which the line is impelled forward. The 
movement of the fly must be such that the fly will 
not at any time fall to the ground until the comple- 
tion of the forward cast. 

The thumb having reached the vertical, pause 
a moment, for the line to loose its backward veloc- 
ity; then the back cast is complete. At this in- 
stant and before the line extended behind begins to 
fall, bring the rod forward to an angle of about 
4.") degrees, impelling the line toward the mark chosen. 
This is termed the forward cast. Accuracy and deli- 
cacy are the essentials of the forward cast. In the 
back cast the tip of the rod makes a straight line; in 
the forward cast the tip describes an arc. If the 
forward cast is begun before the back cast is com- 
plete, the fly will snap off. 

Activity is imparted to the line by the spring 



24 

of the upper part of the rod. A slight action of the 

wrist properly directed is sufficient. 

Practice diligently until the back and forward 
casts can be correctly and accurately performed. 

In actual fishing, the caster seldom has level 
banks and clear space before and behind. Obstacles 
of all sorts interpose. First learn to cast a fly as 
outlined; afterwards adapt this accomplishment to 
the environment. 



PRESS OF 

A. L. OAMPFIELD, 

OHIOAGO. 



I r)e j0h)r)S0r) Hlv p)00^ 

o o o o o o 

EVERY ELY CASTER SHOULD 
HAVE ONE .... 

A perfect Fly Book, bound in line calf leather, con- 
taining six best quality Trout and Bass leaders, four 
dozen Johnson's high-grade Trout and Bass Flies, with 
a concise practical Treatise on their use by Chas. F. 
Johnson. 



SENT BY EXPRESS, CHARGES PAID, ON 
RECEIPT OF $10.00 '^- 



THE JOHNSON TROUT and bASS FLIES 

MAKE FLY FISHING A DELIGHTFUL 
SUCCESS. 



THE WALTONIAN MFG. CO. 

325 DEARBORN ST., CHICAGO, ILL. 



The Finest Silk Lines Made 



• ARE THE. 



NATCHAUG 



J* 



BRAIDED 
SILK FISHING 
LINES 




They will outwear three ordinary lines, will spool per- 
fectly when in use, and never flatten or become 
water soaked. 



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